2 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each God. The Holy Spirit is Christs spirit in us guiding us into all truth. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (John14:2, 3). His being is somewhat of a mystery to us. in that He is not made up of three parts one part () the Father, another part () Jesus Christ and a third part () the Holy Spirit. The trinity is a mystery that cannot be fully comprehended. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. And the reason we know that is because the Persons of the Godhead have perfectly loved each other for all eternity. Here are 8 Bible Characters Who Should Be More Famous. The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. Or water can be evaporated and called steam. God does not just change forms but exists as three persons in unity. Before moving on I should note that providing a full theological explanation of Trinitarian doctrine is well beyond the scope of what I can do here. The trinity is an essential doctrine to the Christian faith. So whats one good way to explain what the Trinity is? 1:8-12; 1 Pet. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. They've always led to error and have been rejected by the church. We can always rebut these claims with another equation: 1 x 1 x 1=1. The trinity is a like a Three-Leaf Clover. Lord of all, we bow before thee. There is only one egg with three different parts. My intention is merely to address some common erroneous analogies, including water. So under modalism, God acts as the Father in the Old Testament, the son in the Gospels, and the Spirit in Acts and the Epistles. Tritheism denies the unity of the God-head by saying there is just three different gods. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. So much of what we know about what God does is wrapped up in who He is. Vestment Emblems. Water at room temperature is liquid. And then theres Jesus, Gods son. RELATED: Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead? They suggest that only one God exists but this God transforms or morphs into each of the different persons Let's begin with the second view. Each person is fully the one God, but is also distinct. Cool it down, and itll eventually freeze into a solid. The egg analogy fails because it denies that each person of the Trinity is of the same eternal essence. The watermelon has a skin, pulp and seeds; the egg is shell, yolk and egg white. The Bible teaches three truths: 1 - there is one God. So comparing God to water isnt really as helpful as it seems on the surface. So, part of understanding the Trinity is realizing that God is personal and relational. Here are some of them: The problem with this is that it leads to the view that God is a Trinity simply because He relates differently to us at different times. What makes it hard is that all of our analogies and metaphors fall short of capturing what the Trinity actually is. Here are eight bible characters that you might not know about, but should. Depth isnt the same thing as height and height isnt the same thing as width, yet all three together are what comprise space. Light comes from God. The Son is not the Father or the Spirit. Bach, and has released two previous CDs, one . This is the one I used long ago when trying to explain the Trinity to a group of 1st-5th graders. Yet God lovingly chose to create and eventually redeem us anyway (both thoroughly Trinitarian acts), at great cost to Himself. He cares for his creation and his people. To the other major monotheistic faiths (Islam and Judaism), it is rank heresyTrinitarianism is therefore definitional to Christianity. He is one God in three persons, all at the same time. RELATED: The Biblical Principle Of Baptism By Fire. From time to time, Doctors of the Church used analogies, but with care. His ways are higher than ours, but isnt that a comfort?! ANALOGY OF CHARACTERS. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. 6And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons., , The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all., There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. One day, however, the image will be clear. But thats not how they understood it. . This analogy is an invalid comparison to the Trinity and is a heresy called PARTIALISM. Dont grieve the Holy Spirit out of you. To become the people we were always created to be. The three parts create a unified whole. Thankfully he isnt a cage-stage Calvinist about it all. God does not play three roles.. It became real to me because I have experienced His love, grace, guidance, redemption, conviction of sin, and fellowship that comes from Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is still H20, but just different forms. That helps explain the concept quite well- the oneness, unity of God with the distinct three persons of God- Father, Son, and Spirit. However, keep in mind that the one being. Who is God? All Scripture is taken from the NIV version unless otherwise specified, Author Ignace Franz, translated by Clarence A. Walworth. Unfortunately, an analogy from the limited realm of creation may not be sufficient in explaining Gods nature. God controls that light. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQLfgaUoQCw. Each one is fully 100% God. [4] The goal of an analogy is to draw out similarities between it and its referent in illuminating ways, not to define the referent itself. Time exists as 3 things: past, present, and future. If the sun exists, there is also day; if nothing of this be manifest, it is impossible that the sun should be there. Its hard to explain! Jesus loves us so much that he did not obliterate people who died, with power that set stars in the universe. All of the above Bad Analogies would perhaps do more harm than good if used in explaining the Trinity. This is not an exhaustive list: For further reading on the Trinity, I would recommend James Whites The Forgotten Trinity, Wayne Grudems Systematic Theology and online articles by CARM.org. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. The divine persons are really DISTINCT from one another, and not merely different roles of God at different times. The Gospel is theperson, work, and message of Jesus Christ that provides salvation to all repentant believers. This is why Jesus said, He who has seen Me, has seen the Father (John 14:9). John 17). As a result the water molecule must change forms. The analogy explains that in the same way that one shamrock can have three leaves on it, the Trinity has three Persons that constitute one God. Ontological means the nature or essence of something. This is the Christmas paradox. They are three in one egg. These images fall short, because these components arent enough to be considered a whole on their own. What is H2O? Humans as we are, we cannot fully understand how the three divine Persons, though really distinct from one another, are one and the same God. If you need to use an analogy, then use a good one. I never thought about it in that way some of these examples Ive never heard of. But theres one problem: the water analogy is not the biblical picture of God. One is a musical chord with three notes. But remember, it is much better to let Scripture teach the 3 points above which establish the doctrine of the Trinity than to rely on analogies. The yolk represents Gods Person, His Being, and His Holiness which generates Light that no man can approach (I Timothy 6:16). God controls that light. Being the brightness of the eternal Light, He Himself also is absolutely eternal. According to modalism, God does not actually exist in three persons. The Bible reveals that each person of the Trinity has unique roles, relationships, and functions which are distinct from one another. H2O can exist in three forms: liquid, gas and solid. To return to my Life Group anecdote, after our discussion I asked why does it even matter?. 3 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons. Likewise we cannot have the Father or His Spirit without the Son I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except by Me- John 14:6. In this episode, Fred Sanders discusses what it really means to say that God is a Trinitythree persons in one God. We recommend you adhere these emblems to your vestments by mounting on the material with fabric glue and then stitching them . It is not important merely for the sake of tradition, or because the word itself is taught in the Bible (the word is not). The unseen Father is in Christs mind. Thus, the Father Himself is not God, nor is the Son, nor is the Holy Spirit, but combining the three, there is one God. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. In other words, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have a unique and unbreakable unity, and their existence together is the being that is God. Unfortunately, there is a problem with this view of the Trinity. Hi Im not a theologian and I dont disagree with what you say but when you state that we know the persons of the Trinity have perfectly loved for eternity etc how do we know? That is a holding pen for final judgment. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)One of my Sunday School students said, "How could Jesus (God) enter Mary's stomach (womb) and be born? 7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christs gift., , according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure., , But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.. But the Bible is CLEAR in its teaching. Further, we can label each of the sides. Each one is fully 100% God. The Trinity is distinct in their roles and individuality, but united in their attributes of love, mercy, holiness, knowledge, etc. But it cant be that way with God. For instance, we know that God is perfectly loving. The Trinity is pretty weird: the Father (or Mother), Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are in some sense distinct from one another, but are all unified in another sense. The Holy Trinity: Egg Analogy The Holy Trinity is GOD in three divine persons GOD the FATHER GOD the HOLY SPIRIT GOD the SON But together they makeup and are still ONE GOD Like how an egg is made up of three things but is still ONE EGG. Light comes from God. Share your thoughts with us in the comments! In the same way, at one moment God is the Father, but at different times God morphs or transforms into the Son or Holy Spirit. Part 2. Do you know why I keep saying God is like an egg (or H2O) but God is not like an egg (or H2O)? But Hes God too, right? Martyn Iles Removed as Managing Director of Australian Christian Lobby by Board, Seven Types of Rest to Restore Your Body, Mind and Spirit, 8 witnesses testified against Hillsong founder Brian Houston in court case, wife Bobbie reveals, Why you feel guilty for not going to church, Samaritan's Purse sends 52-bed field hospital to Turkey. Matthew 3:16-17- As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Trinity Egg Analogy . The trinity is not a contradiction, but a paradox. There are many mysteries to our faith. It is a miraculous invention, the egg. We define a person as one having a will and who is distinguishable from another person. In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. I believe that the best way to talk about the Trinity is to simply say that God is one God, who eternally exists in three Persons. There is what is called the 'triple point' the combination of pressure and temperature at which H2O can exist simultaneously in all three states: solid, liquid and gas. Because Gods Person is unapproachable, the Spirit White acts as insulation, for we know that it is through the Holy Spirit that God can communicate, speak through and interact with mankind. In Arianism, the Son is not eternally equal with the Father, but was the Fathers first and best creation. He was with God in the beginning. Well the issue is, the water analogy is akin to the heresy of Modalism. When we tend to make an analogy about the trinity we are forced to diminish one of the three trinitarian truths in order to make the analogy work. 1B) This son of Graham and Lois Armstrong is Dave. Some have taken on the task of explaining how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist as one. This analogy is still not perfect because each of the aspect cannot stand as egg like each of the persons in the trinity can stand as God. The Trinity is like an egg. When we view the egg in its entirety we have the Biblical Trinity, One that is Three. Scripture however, doesnt depict God this way. My prayer is to infuse God's character into your everyday lives with short ( 4-5") devotions and Bible Studies every Monday morning. Unfortunately, no analogy is perfect. The problem here is it describes each part of the Trinity as 1/3 parts of the overall egg. Father, Son, and Spirit are each fully God (their own egg)- not fractions of one. God is like H2Olike water. We wont find the word Trinity in the Bible, but the concept is shown in many verses. But based on what you know that Jesus is born so that He can save people from their wrongdoings, will you trust Him to forgive you. Each one is fully 100% God. I think the illustration that represents the Trinity most accurately is the egg example. In some ways, it resembles the tritheism view (Misunderstanding 2). And when the time comes when death is allowed to crack your shell in its final hour and your believing soul is released; the Spirit of God that holds you will carry you in His arms to your heavenly home because In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. We worship one God who exists in three persons. The word Trinity comes from the Latin word trinitas which means tri-unity. Shively Jesus Person is joined to the Father by the Fathers Holy Spirit, because Gods Spirit is also Jesus Spirit - "But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. Although he is one man who is simultaneously a husband, a father, and a student, he would consider it Modalism to suggest that this is a good Trinitarian analogy. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. 1. Yet the orthodox view is that each person of the Trinity is fully divine. The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 butmore like 1 x 1 x 1.You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. The word Trinity comes from the Latin word trinitas which means tri-unity. We all want to experience the good life. The Unseen Father and Father that is seen existed at the same time. God is NOT like H2O in that He does not need the right pressure and temperature to exist as three persons. The wonders and ways of God may not be apparent or fully known at present, but we can still marvel at His supremacy and worship Him in wonder- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! Adorn your liturgical vestments with classic images from the Monastery Icons collection. Because Gods Person is unapproachable, the Spirit White acts as insulation, for we know that it is through the Holy Spirit that God can communicate, speak through and interact with mankind. Yet there is only one God. He has not yet revealed some mysteries (what did Jesus do in His childhood, when will He return, what does the word Selah mean in the Old Testament- and so many more.). Therefore, we would rightly say, within the Ontological Trinity, there is no variation or distinction made. So, I shot down a lot of images that seems to be pretty helpful. Dont you know Jesus? Here are a few common illustrations: The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk. One thing that Ive found helpful is using the Trinity to illustrate truths we know about God. The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. He is one God who expresses Himself in three modesFather, Son, and Spirit. Paul explains our finite understanding of beliefs like the Trinity as looking into a poor-quality mirror- a distorted image; dim and unclear. But, when it's heated, it turns into a gas (steam) and, when it's frozen, it turns into a solid (ice). In Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). The problem with this analogy is that no one molecule of H2O can actually exist as solid, liquid, and gas at the same time. The Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. They all exist as fully God, with none of them lacking in any attribute or aspect that defines God. Unfortunately, most of them actually give us the wrong idea about what the Trinity is. God is kind of like a man who is a father, a son and an uncle God is kind of like a three-leaf clover, or a triangle; one object, but three different, identifiable leaves, or sides* Theyve transformed. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. Moreover, the yoke and the whites are no longer as they used to be. It does not imply Jesus was created if you emphasize that the Sun existed from eternity past. Therefore, in this context, God is the what and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the who. The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. Yet, the trinity is mysterious. I dont know how our majestic God feels about being compared to watermelons and eggs, but He is also a loving Father, and like any father, I believe God would seek to provide simple explanations so His little children can understand. Jesus isn't a demigod or partially god. Modalism, or Sabellianism, denies the three distinct Persons of the Trinity and claims that God is one Person who appears in different modes at different timesin the Old Testament He appeared as the Father, in the Gospels He appeared as the Son, and from Pentecost onwards He appears as the Holy Spirit. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. Unfortunately, Arianism is still around and can found within the Jehovah's Witnesses teachings. Answer (1 of 25): Cynics assert that the idea of the Holy Trinity is a logical impossibility. He differs from the Father, but was and still is God. Deuteronomy 6:4- Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. This verse is also the beginning of the Jewish Shema prayer; their confession of faith. God is like H2O in that the Bible may refer to a specific person of the Trinity but that person is still God. All these make up one egg just as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit make up one God. The analogy breaks down because I can simultaneously be a father, husband, and son to any one person. He is married to Shamsa Lea, is the father of Amira, and loves running, boxing and studying history and theology. This is just as bad as the Water analogy and leads to the same error. The Unseen Father is in Christs mind. show me your glory. Though I find the video to be hilarious and often . But we can (and should) have a solid foundation to explain this core belief of our faith. When we use analogies, we need to indicate these things so as to not lead to heresies, A Catholic and Filipino writer interested in theology, philosophy, liturgy, politics, and law. These are likewise erroneous or even heretical. In order to accomplish this union with God and man, He allowed His Shell to be broken with the weight of our sins to cleanse our souls so His holiness can approach, for God cannot look upon sin (Habakkuk 1:13). Another wrong illustration is using ourselves: I am one person, but also a wife, mother, and writer. Jesus is in the form of the Holy Spirit. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:13). I think the illustration that represents the Trinity most accurately is the egg example. Discover the richness of the old yet living 2,000-year-old religion which built the West. One popular and simple illustration of the Trinity is the egg. Love your blogs! The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. Intercession: The Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. in which all 3 persons may act or speak as one. Others compare God to an egg, which is part shell, part white, part yolk. Haydn Lea is an Associate Pastor in Queensland, and is currently studying his Master of Arts (Theology). Its impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God. It does not represent 3 persons existing simultaneously. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Spirit are three different persons who are all equally one God. This description that all persons are fully God is called the Ontological Trinity. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They suggest that only one God exists but this God transforms or morphs into each of the different persons. But its all the same person, operating in three roles or functions. Celebrating Easter Is About so Much More Than One Hour on Sunday. Each side is co-equal with the others, yet, each side is necessary. The word Trinity comes from the Latin word trinitas which means tri-unity. A person distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A being is the whole nature or essence of something. Thus the Father is in Jesus " I and My Father are One" (John 10:30), "The Father is in Me" (John 14:10) God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (II Corinthians 5:19). Although the water changes forms it is still H2O. Yet it appears to be almost entirely misunderstood within contemporary evangelical circles. He also knows how to perfectly love us. God is much bigger and much greater than we can understand, and to be honest, I'm ok with that. CafeLogos.orgThe Egg and i -A Simple Explanation of The Trinity copyright 2009 by H.D. He has one essenceone substance. H2O can exist as a solid, a liquid and a gas but they are all still H2O. What we can understand and accept is that God exists eternally as one divine nature, substance, or essence, comprising three co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial personsthe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit also exist eternally and concurrently. Jesus is fully God. I dont know how our majestic God feels about being compared to watermelons and eggs, but He is also a loving Father, and like any father, I believe God would seek to provide simple explanations so His little children can understand. Just as water changes forms so too is the trinity. HO may act as water, steam, or ice, but it is still HO. But having lots 6 Bible Study Tools To Help You Dive Deeper. Some who deny the Trinity claim 1+1+1=3, and therefore claim we worship three Gods. The Latin word for trinity (trinitas) combines two words- unitas (unity) and trias (three). Relationship Analogy (Husband/Son/Father) God is like a person with different relationships just as a man can be a Dad, but also someones Son, and also someones Husband. God is one. Some have used examples such as water, watermelons and eggs; the principle behind those illustrations is that even though each thing is one, it is also three. 3. The teaching of the trinity is clearly taught in Scripture and must be preserved as such. Dr. Bruce Ware does an excellent job in his book Big Truths for Young Hearts. . I did read about the shamrock analogy! Under Arianism Jesus is less than fully God. If then the sun were eternal, the day would never end; but now, for such is not really the state of the case, the day begins with the beginning of the sun, and ends with its ending. There are some analogies that come close. When discussing God, especially in regards to his nature, being and persons, a simple statement to articulate the Trinity is: God is 1, *. But if they give us a warped idea of what they are trying to explain, they arent helpful illustrations. Stars were made on the forth day. The military would end up destroying themselves. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14). You can also catch up with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok To put it simply, "The problem with using analogies to explain the Holy Trinity is that you always end up confessing some ancient heresy." .

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